Below - 50 photos from Saturday 22nd February 2019
37 photos from Friday 21st February 2019
Thursday 21st February 2019 - see 26 pictures in the gallery below
51 images from Wednesday 20th February 2019
Below - Tuesday 19th February 2019 Click through gallery for 20 more images
29 images to view from work on site, started on Monday 18th February 2019
Click top left of image below to play slide show
The start of the project - research, paperwork, more paperwork, applications more applications and many meetings!
In 2017 Shipston Angling Club identified the need to develop the section of the River Stour where it runs along the edge of the Shipston Sports Club. At this time the banks were becoming inaccessible, overgrown and dangerous. After discussion at several committee meetings of the Angling Club it was felt that opening up a 10m trial area along the stretch would show what could be achieved and would tie in well with the Fish n Frolics event in July 2017. Overgrowth was curtailed, pruned and removed. Temporary steps were cut into the bank. Two existing fishing pegs were repaired. Rubbish was removed. The boundary fence was exposed in this area. Several site meetings were held to discuss how the project should move forward and we took video footage and photographs to help explain the project to others. We then approached the Sports Club Management and members of the Town Council, both of whom were interested and supportive. Investigation was made into building developments in the locality by attending public meetings and looking at Council plans. Several advisory agencies were approached. The Environment Agency and the Angling Trust visited the site, shared their experience and were in full support of the project. Groundwork advice was taken onboard, along with advice from a tree surgeon. In January 2018 the Town Council granted permission for the work to be done and in April 2018 provided some welcome funding towards the cost of the project. Sport England were approached for further funding but were heavily subscribed at the time of our application. The Angling Club put together a proposed plan outlining the project in detail and presented it to the Sports Club who gave it their full support. The Angling Trust were later approached for funding. Our 1st application in Spring 2018 was unsucessful but a further attempt in July was awarded on 28th September 2018. The Environment Agency were consulted and after several visits, the provision of professional advice and the submission of more details plans, in November 2018 they granted us a license to carry out the work. After a wonderfully hot Summer when starting the project would have been ideal we hit poor weather in late November and early December when it was too wet for work to start. January saw below zero temperatures so work finally started in February 2019.